Arrival of the Elite
by Rowena Bensel
Summary: While on Cybertron to get Optimus's memories, Arcee and Jack run into an old comrade. But as she adapts to live on Team Prime, she remains haunted by her time was warden of a dead planet. Only the support of her friends and the love of her life can help her move past it, but will she even realize there is something wrong? [ On Indefinite Hiatus ]
1. Chapter 1

A space bridge signal.

That shouldn't have been possible, the last spacebridge had blown several groon ago. She hadn't been there to do it, but she saw the damage, looking through the wreckage for supplies. Unless someone had managed to create a new one. Or the bridge itself was elsewhere and this was the exit point. She wondered who could have come through. Most likely Decepticons.

When the signal did not vanish, she realized it was still open. She would go to it, then, find out who or what had come through, and possibly use it to get off the desolate planet. She'd spent thousands of vorns as Cybertron's guard, most alone except for the few Decepticons she'd encountered. The planet was either going to recover far in the future, when she'd be offline and unable to care, or it would remain dead. It was better that she didn't die on it in vain.

And what was this singing in her spark that said this course of action, while against the orders of the mission she'd signed up for, was right?

Ignoring it, or maybe following it, she packed her meager supplies into her subspace, transformed into her alt mode and made her way across the cityscape, aiming for the spacebridge.

For the first time since the Exodus, Elita One was out of hiding and ready to take the fight right to the Decepticons.


	2. Chapter 2

She was hiding behind the remains of a building watching the bridge. It was just a lonely bridge with no one near even to guard. Still, she kept a careful watch; you never knew what could come at you.

Yet as she came closer to the bridge, her spark started singing more. She could only think of one reason it would, but it was crazy; a chance in several million, and she would know the numbers. The thought that he could be right through that bridge-

The sound of an engine met her audials and cut through her thoughts. A two-wheeler engine and sounded like one of small size. She should easily be able to overpower them and get the information she needed.

She watched and saw them approaching the bridge. They also seemed to have a passenger. Elita jumped out of hiding and placed herself right in front of the bridge. Her blaster was pointed at them, though she didn't have much power for more than a stunning blast, but they didn't know that. "Halt and explain yourself!"

The two-wheeler skidded to a stop, swinging so they were parallel to the bridge. The passenger, from what her quick scans showed her, was a bipedal organic inside of a pressurized environment suit. It quickly got off the two-wheeler, who transformed. When her pink-blue optics met Elita's iridescent blue, they instantly knew each other.

"Elita?" Arcee asked in disbelief.

"Arcee?" Elita lowered her blaster. Another second and the two old friends were embracing, Arcee barely reaching Elita's chassis, but that just meant that she could more easily cup her helm. It only lasted a minute, but a millennia of feelings were exchanged in it.

"I never thought we'd see you again," Arcee said, stepping back.

"I thought quite the same," Elita admitted.

The organic made a noise, pulling Elita's attention back to him. He spoke again, but Elita didn't understand.

A data packet appeared in her HUD from Arcee. "Our current comm codes, and a download of English, the language Jack's speaking," she explained.

Elita nodded and, when the download finished, looked at the organic. "Hello."

It nodded back. "Hi."

"This is Elita One, Jack," Arcee said proudly. "She was my commander when the war started, before I teamed up with Tailgate." She looked to Elita. "Elita, this is Jack. He's a human, and my partner on Team Prime."

"'Prime?'" Elita couldn't believe her audial. "You're with Optimus?"

"Yeah, only he's lost his memory, and we have to get this," Jack held up a glowing relic for Elita to see, though she still had to bend down, "to him to restore them."

"Memory loss?" Elita looked at Arcee.

"We'll explain later, but now we need to get back to Earth." She turned on her comm. "Ratchet, we have the Matrix. We're coming through." A moment of quiet. "Ratchet?" She took her servo from her comm. "Something's wrong."

The three looked at the groundbridge, as if by will they could see what was beyond.

"Well, we can't not go through, can we?" Jack said.

Arcee nodded and looked to Elita. "We could always use an extra bot on the team, if you want to come with us."

Elita stood and activated her blaster. "I'd already decided that I'd be taking this bridge off the planet. Now I have even more incentive to go."

Arcee nodded and the three started walking through; however, as they stepped into the bridge Elita felt her stabilizers start to go and she placed a servo on Arcee to steady herself.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked, looking concerned.

"What are your fuel levels running?" Arcee asked.

"About the same they have for the past several vorn, twenty percent," Elita admitted.

Arcee's optics widened. "How are you still standing here?"

"I took on a new alt mode, a simpler one; and I've been taking longer and longer stasis rests. There's not much energon left on Cybertron, and most of my current supply came from Shockwave's spacebridge."

"You are in no condition to fight, especially if it's Megatron out there." Arcee thought for a moment. "Stay back with Jack and make sure he gets out safely."

Elita gave Arcee a look, or at least the best one from this angle. "You know I am your superior officer."

"And on Team Prime I'd be your senior, so that's how I'm giving orders. I'll distract the cons while you guys get out."

"What about you, Arcee?" Jack asked.

"I'll be fine, Jack. Don't need to worry about me." She met Elita's gaze again.

Elita held it for a minute, then nodded. "Alright. Go, Arcee. We'll be right behind."

Arcee nodded back and leapt forward, transforming and speeding away. Jack looked up at Elita in concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Jack, I am fine." It was taking some effort to put one pede before the other, but it seemed to take less and less as she went. The singing in her spark was growing louder and louder, and she knew he was near, getting closer.

When she and Jack exited the groundbridge, the first thing she noticed was Arcee fighting with Megatron; the second she noticed was red and blue plating, shifting to a kneeling positon from the floor; thirdly, she noticed her spark song being the strongest it'd been for vorns, millennia.

Optimus turned toward them, and she could see in an instant, Jack had been telling the truth of his memories. There was no recognition in his optics as they passed over her, drawn to Jack and the relic in his organic servo.

"Are you certain I am worthy?" he asked, a little unbelief in his voice. Clearly, even with his memories gone, he recognized what it was.

"You have no idea," Jack said, before holding up the relic and a beam of light energy came from it to hit Optimus's chestplates, which opened to reveal the Matrix of Leadership. Elita's servos came to her mouth of their own accord in seeing Optimus laid out so open.

A large clang echoing through the cavern made her look up. Megatron had grabbed Arcee and slammed her into the wall. She stepped around Jack to place herself in between Optimus and Megatron, activating her blasters to prepare to fight if needed.

Megatron finally looked toward them and saw what was happening. He dropped Arcee and charged. Elita fired a few blasts, though they didn't seem to slow him down a second. Nor did the Autobot who came charging at Megatron, easily swatted aside. Elita kept shooting until Megatron got so close she had to drop down for him to pass over her. She followed his path with her helm, and was rewarded to see Optimus catch Megatron's blade as it came down.

"Megatron," he said, his battlemask snapping into place. "Be gone!" He punched Megatron and sent him stumbling back, and Optimus followed, not letting up the attack until he had uppercut Megatron into the wall.

The other Autobots raced to Optimus's side, and as Arcee helped her up, Elita recognized Ratchet, Bulkhead and Bumblebee. She drew her blasters along with the others, and heard Optimus ask "Ratchet, how did we arrive here?"

"Long story, Optimus," Ratchet answered.

A new voice came over Elita's comm, speaking English. ::Base to Arcee. We're picking up six Autobot signals. Is Prime with you?::

"And Jack," Arcee answered. "And an old friend."

They spotted Megatron crawling back up from below the platform, and fired, Elita taking care to watch for Jack behind her pedes. A groundbridge opened beside them, and she stared at it in wonder for a moment.

"It's ours!" Arcee declared.

"Autobots, fall back!" Optimus ordered as Megatron charged at them.

Arcee was first to respond, pulling Elita's arm and scooping up Jack before leading them both to the groundbridge.

Compared to the spacebridge, the groundbridge was an energon sweet, and Elita entered it to find other organics – humans – waiting for them at the bridge's exit.

"Jack!" one called, running towards him as he took the helm of his suit off. Arcee, having not let go of Elita's arm, lead her away from the bridge, as the darkest colored of the humans asked, 'Who's this."

"This is Elita, Fowler. She's a friend," Arcee explained, making Elita sit down before dashing off somewhere. The other Autobots came through and gathered around the humans, but they all turned to the bridge to see if their mission had all been in vain.

In just a few moments, Optimus walked through and the bridge closed. He retracted his mask and looked around, as if he was looking for something. The smallest human walked towards him.

"Optimus?" he asked, soft and almost fearfully.

Optimus smiled at him. "Hello, Rafael."

"The Big Guy remembers us! Woohoo!" the brightly colored human said, jumping for joy.

Optimus smiled down again, but his optics were still roaming. Arcee had returned to Elita with an energon cube, but she ignored it, making herself stand and step away from the wall.

"Optimus." She said it softly, but everyone turned to her. The bots all looked stunned, while Optimus looked almost speechless.

Carefully, he stepped toward her, and she him. Their first contact was their servos, Optimus's cupped for her digits to curl around.

"Elita," he vented softly, one servo extending to her cheek. "Is it you?"

She smiled and she could feel lubricant start to well in her optics, and for once she felt she didn't need to blink it away. "Yes, it's me."

Optimus smiled, and neither knew who moved first, all they knew is an astro-second later they were kissing, optics shut from joy. She pulled her servos from his and placed them on his face. His free one fitted around her waist, drawing her closer to him so their plating touched. And as they kissed, Elita's spark sang, but not alone. It sang a duet, one that had lost its counterpart and had now found it again.

* * *

Wow this is late. I meant to update last month, but I forgot. This fic will only update once a month, on the 20th, so that's when to look for it. I hope you enjoy.


	3. Chapter 3

When they eventually parted, they rested their helm crests together, Optimus wiping away the lubricant that had spilled over during the kiss.

"I love you," he told her, like he would have so long ago had he had a klick more of time.

She smiled through her tears. "I love you." She meant to pull him down for a kiss when a loud cough was heard. They looked over and saw everyone staring at them, mostly with disbelief, while Arcee just had a knowing smile.

It had been Ratchet who talked. "It would seem there is much to discuss, and not just the fact I now owe Arcee three cubes of high grade. Introductions, perhaps, to start."

"Yeah!" the colorful human said. "Who are you? Where'd you come from?"

Elita smiled, the human reminded her of Moonracer. "I am Elita One, second in command of the Autobots. When Cybertron went dark, I volunteered to stay behind as a guardian." A wave of dizziness overcame her and she clung to Optimus with one servo, the other going to her helm.

Optimus sat down and pulled her into his lap. He didn't seem to want to let her go. Good, cause she didn't want to either. Arcee pushed the energon cube into her servos. "Drink," the younger femme ordered. "Your fuel levels are lower than Ratchet's."

Ratchet immediately stepped in, scanner running. His optics widened. "Elita One, I have no idea how you are online right now. You are going to sit there and not move until your levels return to at least seventy percent."

In ordinary circumstances, Elita would have argued or bargained, but here, with Optimus's arms wrapped around her and her oldest friend standing near watching her, she just smiled. "Of course, doctor."

She took a sip of the cube, and has to pull it away before she started to drink it too fast. Someone took it from her, she didn't see who, and her servos rested on her knees as she tried to steady herself. It was energon, pure energon, and so much better than the swill she'd been collecting and drinking. It hit her tanks and it took all her willpower not to purge. Some deep vents managed to prevent it, but when she looked up, she saw everyone looking at her concerned.

"I am fine," she assured them. "It's just been a long time since I've had energon that pure." She looked to Ratchet. "I hope Optimus won't have to do anything for an hour or two, I'll probably be here a while."

"How'd you survive on Cybertron?" Rafael asked. "I thought it was uninhabitable except in stasis."

"For a large number, yes. However, one or two Cybertronians could survive, if they were careful."

"Has Cybertron recovered to any degree, Elita?" Optimus asked. He was holding her cube, and she guided his arm to help her take another sip.

Once she'd swallowed, she shook her head. "The planet's as dead as it was the cycle when the Ark took off. There has been no recovery at all. If the Decepticons hadn't kept returning, I'd have gone offline long ago."

"That's why you were at the spacebridge," Jack said. "You were going to take it wherever it opened up to."

Elita nodded. "Yes. It was just a nice surprise that it happened to be you and Arcee."

"Okay, so what's with you and Boss Bot?" the colorful one asked.

"Miko!" Bulkhead admonished them, but seemed to be curious as well.

"I believe Miko speaks for all of us, Bulkhead," Ratchet said. He fixed a look on Optimus and Elita, the former flushing blue a little. "When did this arrangement come to being?"

"It was in the final stages of the war," Optimus started. "I'm certain you remember the mission where Elita was badly injured."

"Remember it? Optimus, they had to sedate you so you wouldn't cause a panic in the waiting room."

Optimus flushed more. "Yes, well, my feelings had started before that, but that mission made it clear to me I' would never be able to see Elita as just a friend or another soldier. I loved her."

Elita looked to him. "You never told me that."

"I wanted to wait until after I'd told you before going to the specifics." He continued. "The night before she was discharged, Elita convinced me to help her get out for some high grade on the roof to celebrate."

Elita smiled. "Kaon brew is very strong. Arcee, I don't know how you were ever able to drink it."

Arcee shrugged. "After a few millenia, your tanks get used to it."

"So you admitted you liked each other and started dating?" Miko asked.

Elita nodded, taking another sip. "Yes, but we had to keep secret. There was a strict no fraternization rule for my femme team, and I wasn't supposed to be the exception."

"Chromia's going to murder you when she finds out, you know," Arcee added.

"Yes, I know that, Arcee." Her tanks had adjusted now and she tried taking a gulp of the energon, then another. The cube was half empty by now, and Ratchet scanned her again.

"Forty percent. Wait a bit before finishing that cube, then we'll see where you are at."

Elita nodded, then turned to Optimus. "I hope I can get an explanation as for why you needed to send Arcee and an organic to retrieve your memories, and why there's a Decepticon symbol on your shoulder."

Optimus grimaced and looked at his pauldron. "There is a great deal I do not remember. The time from when I lost my memories to regaining them is missing. I fear I don't even know the month of the year."

"It's March 23, Prime," the dark human said. "You've missed two whole months."

Optimus seemed shocked, but absorbed it quickly. Elita gave a slight glare to Ratchet, who she had no doubt was leading the team while Optimus was gone. "He was under Decepticon control for that long and you didn't do anything."

"It wasn't from trying," Bulkhead said.

"The cons base of operations is the Nemesis, Megatron's warship, and he had Optimus sealed tight," Arcee added. "We had to get Starscream's help to find the spacebridge."

"Starscream? Why would he help Autobots?"

"Long story, but to sum up, he's now a neutral and had information about Optimus from sneaking into the Nemesis. In return for medical help, he gave us the spacebridge coordinates," Ratchet said.

Elita looked back to Optimus. "And just why did you send an organic to collect your lost memories? Why not someone on the team?"

"Um, we are on the team," Miko said. "Just cause we're not twenty feet tall doesn't mean we're useless."

"Perhaps introductions would be a good place to start," Optimus suggested. "And we can explain some of what has happened here on Earth."

"I already know Jack," Elita said, looking to the humans.

Jack nodded. "Jack Darby. Arcee's my guardian and partner." He turned to the human who'd run to him when he returned. "This is-"

"June Darby. I am Jack's mother." She placed a hand on his shoulder, and Arcee connected mother to carrier. That would explain the resemblance between the two.

"I'm Miko Nakadai," Miko said, as loud as her colors were. "I'm a Wrecker, and Bulkhead's my guardian." She threw a few air punches.

The smallest spoke up. "I'm Raf Esquivel. Bumblebee's my guardian." He looked up at the yellow bot, who knelt down and patted a finger on his head.

The dark human finally spoke. "Agent William Fowler. I'm the liaison between the bots and the government. I clean up your messes and keep your cover as robots in disguise."

"'Robots in disguise'?" Elita looked at the bots and realized the changes to their frames would make sense for different altmodes, ones not as streamlined as Cybertron's. "So the humans do not know of our existence?"

"It's kind of a good thing," Jack said. "Most of our media about aliens is either them trying to conquer us, or destroy us, and most people wouldn't know the difference between a bot and a con. They'd shoot first, ask questions later."

"Yeah, it was only because of the Decepticons we even know about you guys," Raf said, pushing a pair of spectacles up on his face.

"And then we save Earth some a zombie-con invasion," Miko added.

Elita's optic brow shot up. "This I would love to hear." Then she thought back. "Does this have anything to do with the tremor that shook Cybertron several orns ago?"

"That sounds the most likely," Ratchet said. "Megatron found a large chunk of Dark Energon and hurled it through the spacebridge to bring an army of undead Cybertronians – terrorcons – to Earth to try and conquer it."

"And if I hadn't left my guitar out for Fowler to see, we'd all be dead cause then we wouldn't have found the spacebridge plans," Miko said proudly.

"Yes, Miko. Inadvertently, your troublemaking saved the planet," Jack drawled, and Miko elbowed him.

Elita smiled. "Reminds me of a certain set of twins."

Ratchet sighed. "That is an apt comparison."

Elita reached for the energon and drank the rest of the cube. She'd barely lowered it when it was taken and a new cube held in front of her. She took it with a smile and drank almost half the cube before she felt discomfort in her tanks. She stopped and Ratchet scanned her.

"Sixty-three percent. How do you feel?"

"A little discomfort. I haven't been this well fueled in vorns."

Ratchet nodded. "Not as high as I would like, but alright for now. If you feel you can, try to finish the cube, but don't force yourself."

Elita nodded then looked to Optimus. "How was it you lost your memory?"

"Do you recall the stories of the Thirteen and their battle against Unicron."

"Of course I do. They defeated him and banished him to deep space."

"When he was defeated, he fell into deep stasis, and debris collected around him, eventually creating this very planet."

Elita's optics widened. "Unicron is here, the core of this planet?" She looked down at her pedes, for a moment feeling as if she could look down and see Unicron there.

"Yeah, and he tried waking up two months ago," Bulkhead said. "Caused all kinds of problems."

"The only way to put him to rest was to use the Matrix of Leadership and discharge its energy into his spark," Ratchet said. "And the only one with the coordinates to said chamber-"

"Was Megatron," Optimus finished.

"How did Megatron learn this knowledge?" Elita asked.

"He infected himself with Dark Energon, and had caught a glimpse into Unicron's mind." Optimus shifted slightly. "He came to us with a truce offer to save the planet, and I agreed."

"Bah!" Ratchet scoffed. "He only saved this planet so he can conquer it himself. He so much as said so."

Elita raised a brow, but she didn't comment.

"Megatron and I were successful in putting Unicron to rest, but when the Matrix's power was depleted, it took with it the memories I'd created after receiving it, as well as several from beforehand." Optimus dipped his helm slightly. "It was a risk I have hypothesized would happen, and made preparations for."

Jack laughed a little. "Yeah, handing me the Key to Vector Sigma and telling me it was the key to the groundbridge power supply was pretty good preparations."

She looked between the boy and her love slightly surprised. "You gave a human one of the most important relics of Cybertron!?"

"Shocking, I know," Optimus said. "But as I told Jack when I gave him the Key, I was impressed with how he'd matured since we met, and felt it right to entrust the Key to him."

"Ratchet did say he was like you were before you became Prime," Raf added. Jack's face changed, turning redder as he rubbed the back of his neck. Bashful, Elita would say.

"So once you'd lost your memories, Megatron captured you, and only now a rescue has worked," she summed up.

Ratchet nodded. "That is precisely what had happened."

Suddenly, Jack's mouth opened wide and he covered it with his hand, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

"Are you alright, Jack?" June asked him.

"I'm fine, Mom," he said. "Just a little tired, that's all."

Elita saw June look at her wrist and then back up. "I think you kids need to go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Oh, come on, Mrs. D," Miko groaned. "Elita's not even told us anything about Cybertron."

"I believe June is right, Miko," Optimus said. "I think we could all do with a rest."

"Agreed," Ratchet said. "Elita, I'll expect you in medbay in the morning for a complete systems check."

Elita nodded. "Of course, Ratchet." She placed a servo on Optimus's shoulder to push herself off him, only to find herself gripping it when he swept one arm under her legs and lifted her up. "Whoa! Optimus!"

"Ratchet said you weren't to move until your levels were back to seventy percent." He smiled down at her with utter sincerity and a little mischief. "I'm just ensuring you follow orders."

She arched a brow and lightly shook her helm with a smile. "So different from the last time I was under medical care."

He smiled a bit more and started walking to the halls at the back of the base. They heard Miko ask how the two of them had managed to hide their relationship, but couldn't hear an answer if there was one. He carried her down the halls until they reached one with many large doors, stopping at the one farthest down the hall.

"This is my room," Optimus said. "Of course, if you wish to recharge elsewhere…"

She responded by tightening her grip on his shoulder. "After millennia alone, I don't think I could stand to be apart one more cycle."

Optimus smiled and keyed open the door. The room beyond was modest, a berth, a desk and a chair, with a pair of shelves over the berth. What did draw her optic was how neat the place was.

"Finally give up your old habits, Optimus?" she teased.

"More there's adequate storage for things outside of this room. Also, Ratchet hounds me if I don't keep it moderately neat." He set her down on the berth, then sat down next to her, taking her servos in his. For a moment, the pair was silent, then he spoke.

"I thought I'd never see you again."

She vented deeply and squeezed his servos with her own. "I thought much the same," she admitted. "How bad Cybertron was… none of us realized until our stockpile had gone with the Ark. Glyph and I barely scraped by, then it was just me barely scraping by. It was… it was hard…" she trailed off, her thick shell cracking as lubricant streamed from her optics, slowly, then faster.

She felt Optimus draw her into his lap once more, holding her gently. She rested her helm on his shoulder. With their sparks so close, she could feel his love and adoration of her. It made her break down even more and she felt her vents hitch from sobs she hadn't realized she was capable of making.

Optimus didn't say anything. He just ran one servo up and down her backplates, the other resting lightly near her helm, massaging her neck cables like she'd do for him. He was utterly solid, a rock in the storm of her emotions. And it was exactly what she needed.

After several minutes, she sat back, her servos resting on his arms, which still encircled her. "Thank you, Optimus. I- I needed that."

Optimus smiled gently. "I'll always be here when you need me, Elita. No matter what for."

Elita smiled back. "What I need now is your kiss. Can you give me that?"

His smile grew. "I think so.

He leaned forward as she did, and their kiss was sweet and gentle, loving and undemanding; exactly what Elita needed at that moment. She melted into it, pressing closer to Optimus as if to bring their sparks together. She could hear the duet, his deeper tones supporting her higher melody. She was content, at peace. She wished the moment could have lasted forever.

But it didn't. All too soon, their lips parted, and they were left gazing into each other's half-shuttered optics. That is, until Elita's felt her slid closed and her helm bobbed forward. She jerked it back up. Optimus chuckled.

"It appears you're even more tired than you thought." He leaned back and twisted, laying them fully on the berth, Elita on his chest.

"It would appear so." She rolled so she lay on her side facing him, and he did the same, still keeping her in his arms. Her optics shuttered easily and she snuggled herself against Optimus. "Goodnight, Optimus."

"Goodnight, Elita. I love you."

She froze for a second, then relaxed, a smile on her lips. "I love you."

A few moments later, she was in recharge.


End file.
